Pool table attachment



Nov. 2, 1965 A. N. LEHBERGER POOL TABLE ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1963 INVENTOR ARTHUR N. LEHBERGER Nov. 2, 1965 A. N. LEHBERGER POOL TABLE ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 3, 1963 4 INVENTOR. ARTHUR N. LEHBERGER ATTURNEYS'.

United States Patent 3,215,431 POOL TABLE ATTACHMENT Arthur N. Lehberger, 256 Winfield Terrace, Union, NJ. Filed Sept. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 306,101 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-14) This invention relates generally to pool tables and more particularly to an attachment for a pool table to make the conventional game of pool more interest-ing and exciting.

The principal object of the present invention is to mount an attachment on the playing surface of a conventional pool table in order to add variety to the conventional game.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment on the playing surface of a conventional pool table for amplifying the conventional game of pool, which attachment is readily applied and detached and which will not injure the playing surface or cushion of the pool table.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pool table with the attachment made in accordance with the principles of the invention being applied thereto, the pool balls being shown in racked-up condition in dot-dash lines and a cue ball being similarly shown in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pool table and the attachment taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the attachment in operative open position showing its operative position relative to the pockets of the pool table, the pockets being shown in dot-dash lines, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of one of the cord and tape supporting end rails, with a tape shown in supported position.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the clamp for clamping the tape in position.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and perspective views, respectively, of the combined bracket and hook for clamping the attachment to the pockets of the pool table, an elastic tape being shown connected thereto.

FIG. 10 is a disassembled perspective view of the bracket and hook.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a side tape supporting rail of the harness.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 the top of a conventional pool table is shown and designated generally at 10. This table has a plain flat, smooth rectangularly-shaped top surface 12 surrounded by side rails 14 and end rails 16. The top surface 12 is covered by a cloth 18. The inner surfaces of the rails taper inwardly to receive rubber cushions 20 that are secured in place by adhesive or any other suitable means. The covered top surface of the table constitutes the playing surface.

At each corner, the playing surface, rails and cushions are cut away as indicated at 24 and fabric bags 26 depend therefrom. Midway the ends of the side rails 14, the playing surface, rails and cushions are cut away as 3,215,431 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 indicated at 30 and fabric bags depend therefrom. The cut-away portions and bags constitute the pockets of the table.

A set of playing balls 34 is shown in racked-up condition at one end of the playing surface, and a cue ball 36 is shown adjacent the other end. In playing the game, the cue ball 36 is driven into the racked balls by a stick called a cue, not shown, dispersing the playing balls 34 in all directions. The object of the conventional game is to drive the balls 34 into the pockets and the player driving the most number of balls into the pockets wins the game.

In accordance with the present invention, the game is made more interesting and exciting by adding an attachment in the form of an apparatus or harness. 40 on the top of the table. This apparatus or harness is superimposed on the playing surface of the table at one end thereof. This harness includes three spaced cord reaches 44, 46 and 48, extending across the playing surface and secured at their ends to short wooden side rails 50 and 52. The rails are substantially triangular in cross section with an axial passage 54 rectangular in cross section extending centrally therethrough. Spaced transverse holes 56 are formed adjacent the apical end edges of the rails, at the ends thereof, and a hole 57 midway the ends thereof. The rails may also be made of plastic or other suitable material.

The cord reaches 44, 46 and 48 are formed from a single continuous cord 60 extending through the holes 56 and 57 extending over the rails and across the span between them. One end of the cord is inserted downwardly through the top left-hand end hole 56 of rail 50 as viewed in FIG. 3, and is extended across the span between the rails 50 and 52 and through the top right: hand end hole 56 of rail 52, along the outer surface of rail 52 as indicated at 53 and through the middle hole 57 of rail 52, across the span to rail 50, through the middle hole 57 of rail 50 to the surface thereof, along the top surface of rail 50 as indicated at 58 to and downwardly through the bottom left-hand hole 56 of rail 50, across the span to rail 52 and upwardly through the bottom right-hand hole 56 of rail 52'where the leading end of the cord is secured to the rail 52 by a knot 71. The trailing end of the cord 60 is secured to rail 50 by a knot 73. The rails 50 and 52 are positioned on opposite sides of the table top underneath the rubber cushions 20, the cross-sectional shape of the rails permitting said rails to fit thereunder as shown in FIG. 2.

Another rail 60 of similar construction and dimensions is clamped under the rubber cushion 20 of the adjacent end rail 16, midway the ends thereof. A separate cord 62 has one end extending through a hole 64 in the apical edge of the rail, midway the ends thereof and outwardly therefrom and secured thereto by a knot 64' overlying the top of the edge. The cord extends longitudinally of the playing surface and loosely extends across the reaches 44, 46, midway the ends thereof, and the other end of the cord is knotted to the reach 48, midway its ends, as indicated at 65. The cords 60 and 62 are of thin light stock and hug and engage the cover 18 of the playing surface 12 so as not to interfere with the rolling movement of the playing balls 34 thereover.

An elongated elastic tape 68 extends loosely through the axial passages 54 in the side rails 50 and 52 extending beyond the ends thereof. A similar elastic tape 70 extends loosely through the axial passage 54 in the end rail 60 extending beyond the ends thereof.

At each free end of the outwardly-extending elastic tapes, a combined bracket and hook or fastening device 72 for fastening the end of the tape to the adjacent pocket of the pool table is mounted therealong, FIGS. 3, 8, 9 and 10. The fastening device 72 comprises an elongated substantially L-shaped flat metal plate having a long leg portion 74 and a shorter leg portion 76, the free end of the leg portion 74 being slightly offset and formed with an opening 78. The short leg portion 76 slidably supports an angular anchoring hook 80 having long and short leg portions 82 and 84. Leg portion 82 is formed with inturned flanges 86 along its long edges forming trackways for the short leg portion 76 of the plate. A strip 88 extends across the space between the flanges midway the ends of the leg portion 82. The end of the fiat elastic tape 68 extends through the opening 78 in the long leg portion 74 of the plate, extends along said leg portion, over and along the short leg portion 76 and is anchored to the cross strip 88 of the hook 80 by means of a loop 90 formed thereon. In anchoring the end of the elastic tape 68 to the pocket structure, the short leg portion 76 and hook 80 are inserted downwardly and inwardly through the opening 30 of the pocket and the leg 84 of the hook 30 is hooked underneath the bottom 92 of the playing surface as indicated diagrammatically in dot-dash lines in FIG. 8. The inherent elasticity of the tape permits it to be stretched for the purpose of anchoring the hook in the pocket. When stretched and hooked, the tape may be clamped in position by means of a split sleeve 96 placed around the elastic tape 68 in the passage midway the ends thereof.

A set screw 98, extending through a hole in the rail, presses at 100, FIG. 6, the sleeve against the tape clamping it against displacement. A pair of laterally extending tabs 102 is secured to the ends of each of the side rails 50 and 52, and a similar pair of tabs 104 is secured to the ends of the end rail 60. The tabs 102 bear indicia 106, and the tabs 104 bear indicia 108.

The transverse cord reaches 44, 46, 48 and the longitudinally disposed cord 62 constitute lines which with the adjacent end rail 16 divide the playing surface at one end of the pool table into transverse restricted playing areas including an outer area 110, an intermediate area 112 and an inner area 114, on each side of the cord or line 62. The tabs 102 on the side rails 50 and 52 extend into the inner and outer playing areas 114, 112, respectively, and the tabs on the rail 60 extend into the outer playing area 110. The indicia on the tabs indicate the value of a playing ball 34 knocked into the respective area. For example, the tabs extending into the areas 114 bear the number 2 indicating that each ball knocked into area 114 is Worth two points. The tabs 102 extending into the areas 112 bear the numeral 0, for example, indicating that each playing ball knocked into area 112 is worth zero point. the number 1, for example, indicating that each playing ball knocked into area 110 is worth one point.

The game is played by two players and the rules of the conventional game of pocket pool are followed substantially. However, additional rules may be promulgated to control the game. One player designated, for example, A in FIG. 1 is assigned playing areas 110, 112, 114 on the left-hand side of the line 62, for example, and the other player designated, for example, B is assigned the playing areas 110, 112, 114 on the right-hand side of the line 62. The dimensions of the areas are sufiicient to accommodate the fifteen racked balls 34.

The racked balls 34 are broken by the cue ball 36 hit by a cue,,not shown, by one of the players and the balls during this operation are knocked into the pockets 30, the areas 110, 112, 114, or dispersed over the remaining playing surface of the table. The player continues until a playing ball fails to go into one of the restricted areas 110, 112 or 114, on his side of the dividing line 62, when the opponent takes over and shoots at the remaining playing balls on the playing surface in an attempt to knock the balls into the restricted areas. The opponent shoots until a playing ball fails to go into one of the restricted areas. The game is over when all of the fifteen balls are either in the pockets 30 or in the restricted areas 110,

The tabs 104 extending into the areas 110 bear 112, 114, and the player having the highest number of points as indicated by the values on the tabs 102 and 104 of the balls in the restricted areas wins the game.

By thus providing a pool table with a plurality of restricted areas, a game may be played in which there is a large element of chance, and various games may be played upon the table or the game of pool varied to give variety.

Other rules may be promulgated for controlling the playing of the game, such as, penalties for miscuing on the break, for knocking the cue ball into the pockets, for missing all of the racked balls, for knocking cue ball into starting area or restricted point areas, for knocking cue ball into restricted point areas, for failure of the cue ball to return to playing area, and the like.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. In a pool table having a top playing surface rectangular in plan, side and end rails surrounding the playing surface and pockets at the corners and at the sides, midway the ends thereof, the improvement which consists of a harness superimposed on the playing surface at one end thereof, said harness including opposed perforated rails clamped underneath the side rails of the table, cord reaches extending through the perforations of said rails and across the span between said rails in spaced longitudinal arrangement, said cord reaches engaging the playing surface and dividing the playing surface into a plurality of restricted transverse playing areas, and means for indicating certain values for balls knocked into said areas, including tabs bearing indicia indicating values extending laterally of the harness rails into the restricted areas, said harness rails having passages centrally therethrough, elastic tapes extending through said passages and outwardly of the rails, angular plates on the outer extending ends of the tapes, hooks slidably and adjustably mounted on the plates at one end thereof, said ends of the plates and said hooks adapted to enter into the pockets of the table and interlock with the bottom of the playing surface, and means for clamping the elastic tapes against displacement in the passages in the harness rails.

2. In a pool table having a top playing surface rectangular in plan, side and end rails surrounding the playing surface and pockets at the corners and at the sides, midway the ends thereof, the improvement which consists of a harness superimposed on the playing surface at one end thereof, said harness including opposed perforated rails clamped underneath the side rails of the table, cord reaches extending through the perforations of said rails and across the span between said rails in spaced longitudinal arrangement, said cord reaches engaging the playing surface and dividing the playing surface into a plurality of restricted transverse playing areas, means for indicating certain values for ballls knocked into said areas, including tabs bearing indicia indicating values extending laterally of the harness rails into the restricted areas, said harness rails having passages centrally therethrough, elastic tapes extending through said passages and outwardly of the rails, and means for clamping the elastic tapes against displacement in the passages in the rails, including a split sleeve around the tapes inside the rails, said rails having openings over said sleeve and set screws in said openings adapted to engage the sleeves and clamp the sleeves against the tapes.

3. In a pool table having a top playing surface rectangular in plan, side and end rails surrounding the playing surface and pockets at the corners and at the sides,

midway the ends thereof, the improvement which consists of a harness superimposed on the playing surface at one end thereof, said harness including opposed perforated rails clamped underneath the side rails of the table, cord reaches extending through the perforations of said rails and across the span between said rails in spaced longitudinal arrangement, said cord reaches engaging the playing surface and dividing the playing surface into a plurality of restricted transverse playing areas, means for indicating certain values for balls knocked into said areas, including tabs bearing indicia indicating values extending laterally of the harness rails into the restricted areas, said harness rails having passages centrally therethrough, elastic tapes extending through said passages and outwardly of the rails, including a split sleeve around the tapes inside the rails, said rails having openings over said sleeve and set screws in said openings adapted to engage the sleeves and clamp the sleeves against the tapes, and means for clamping the elastic tapes against displacement in the passages in the harness rails, including a split sleeve around the tapes inside the rails, said rails having openings over said sleeve and set screws in said openings adapted to engage the sleeves and clamp the sleeves against the tapes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,024 8/ 11 Beebee a- 2734 1,308,405 7/ l9 Engleman.

2,366,782 1/45 Gorsuch 273--118 X 2,719,717 10/55 Verity 273126 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A POOL TABLE HAVING A TOP PLAYING SURFACE RECTANGULAR IN PLAN, SIDE AND END RAILS SURROUNDING THE PLAYING SURFACE AND POCKETS AT THE CORNERS AND AT THE SIDES, MIDWAY THE ENDS THEREOF, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF A HARNESS SUPERIMPOSED ON THE PLAYING SURFACE AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID HARNESS INCLUDING OPPOSED PERFORATED RAILS CLAMPED UNDERNEATH THE SIDE RAILS OF THE TABLE, CORD REACHES EXTENDING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS OF SAID RAILS AND ACROSS THE SPAN BETWEEN SAID RAILS IN SPACED LONGITUDINAL ARRANGEMENT, SAID CORD REACHESS ENGAGING THE PLAYING SURFACE AND DIVIDING THE PLAYING SURFACE INTO A PLURALITY OF RESTRICTED TRANSVERSE PLAYING AREAS, AND MEANS FOR INDICATING CERTAIN VALUES FOR BALLS KNOCKED INTO SAID AREAS, INCLUDING TABS BEARING INDICIA INDICATING VALUES EXTENDING LATERALLY OF THE HARNESS RAILS INTO THE RESTRICTED AREAS, SAID HARNESS RAILS HAVING PASSAGES CENTRALLY THERETHROUGH, ELASTIC TAPES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PASSAGES AND OUTWARDLY OF THE RAILS, ANGULAR PLATES ON THE OUTER EXTENDING ENDS OF THE TAPS, HOOKD SLIDABLY AND ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON THE PLATES AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID ENDS OF THE PLATES AND SAID HOOKS ADAPTED TO ENTER INTO THE POCKETS OF THE TABLE AND INTERLOCK WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE PLAYING SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR CLAMPING THE ELASTIC TAPES AGAINST DISPLACEMENT IN THE PASSAGES IN THE HARNESS RAILS. 